Our Work
What we do
The Adewale Isa Foundation proudly leads Nigeria’s premier grassroots tennis initiative, creating opportunity, recognition, and hope for the next generation of champions.
Through the annual National Junior Tennis Championship—established in honor of legendary coach Alhaji Adewale Isa—we bring together more than 200 children from across the country to compete in the U12, U14, and U16 categories. To ensure full accessibility, the Foundation fully funds room and board for every participant.
2025 Winner of U16 Girls: Mofifunoluwa Atilola
Award presented by 2x-Olympian, 1st African Summer & Winter Olympian, and grand-daughter of Alhaji Adewale Isa, Dr. Seun Adigun, D.C., OLY
2025 Winner of U16 Boys: David Edwards
Award presented by H.R.M. Oba Moroof Oyekunle Amodu — Tijani Oluwa (The Olu Iwa of Iwa and Apapa Kingdom)
Winners receive equipment and cash awards, and the boys’ and girls’ U12 champions earn complimentary training tours in the United States, expanding their exposure and development. Beyond the court, the Foundation also provides educational scholarships to support the academic growth of promising young athletes, ensuring that opportunity extends into the classroom as well as onto the court.
More than a tournament, this championship is a movement to empower youth, nurturing discipline, resilience, and community impact while paving the way for future stars—including the bold vision of supporting a junior player on the journey to become a 2028 Nigerian Olympian.
Supporting Excellence
Every child deserves a chance to dream – and the opportunity to pursue that dream with dignity, support, and hope. At the Adewale Isa Foundation, our work is rooted in one simple belief: when you invest in a child, you invest in the future of a nation.
Across Nigeria, countless young boys and girls discover tennis with nothing more than a borrowed racket, a dusty court, and a spark of determination. What they lack is access. What they need is opportunity.
Each year, the Adewale Isa Foundation Junior Tennis Tournament becomes a life‑changing gateway for children from diverse backgrounds. For many, it is their first experience of a structured competition – a place where they feel seen, valued, and capable. But we know that true opportunity extends beyond the court. Many of these same children face daily challenges simply finding a way to attend school, and without education, their potential remains at risk.
That is why the Foundation proudly provides educational scholarships to deserving participants, ensuring that talent is matched with academic support. By helping children stay in school, thrive in the classroom, and pursue their studies with confidence, we honor Alhaji Adewale Isa’s belief that education is the foundation of every child’s future.
International Scholarships for U12 winners
Chukwudubem Amasiani 2022 AIF U12 and 2023 AIF U14 Winner (above)
Joel Michael 2023 AIF U12 Winner (below)
Where Potential Meets Opportunity
Our tournament gives young players the chance to experience organized match play, receive mentorship, and build the confidence and resilience that shape their futures. Whether they arrive with a borrowed racket or years of practice, stepping onto our courts is often the first moment they feel truly seen.
As they return each season, participants continue to grow — not just as athletes, but as leaders. They:
Strengthen their skills through consistent, structured competition
Develop character through sportsmanship, teamwork, and shared discipline
Gain visibility that can lead to scholarships, sponsorships, and national recognition
The transformation is powerful: a shy beginner becomes a confident competitor — and a competitor becomes a young ambassador for Nigeria and for the sport they love.
AIF Goals for Nigerian Olympian
Road to the Olympics
1984 Los Angeles Olympics Yakubu Sulieman was he sole qualifier for Nigeria in tennis and was coached by Adewale Isa
2028 Los Angeles Olympics AIF aims to help qualify at least one athlete in honor of Adewale Isa
2032 Brisbane Olympics AIF aims to help qualify one athlete who funneled through the tournament’s development resources
Discover and provide tournament resources to one male and one female future African tennis champion by 2035
Discover and provide tournament resources to one male and one female athlete who will rank in the top 300 in the world by 2035
Tennis in Africa
There have only been 4 Nigerian Tennis Players (all male) with a top 300 World Ranking since 1984
The last Olympics Nigeria participated in Tennis was Atlanta, 1996
The continent of Africa accounts for under 5% of ranked professional tennis players as of 2025
Top African athletes performed at their peak from the ages of 21-30 years old, so the ages of a junior tournament are key years of development
There are only roughly 8-10 Junior tennis tournaments held throughout all of Africa with one or two taking place in West Africa annually
